The Carolina Hurricanes are having fun winning and showing that it’s okay to keep loose in the the beginning part of the season, which is especially good for a team with some much supposed turmoil over the summer. Whether it’s skating into the glass, sliding into canoes, or doing the floss dance— the Hurricanes are getting their team talked about for the right reasons.

Of course, with the fun they are having– it just makes the critics come out in force and unsurprisingly it’s coming from Canada– a place the only likes fun in hockey on their own terms. Sure– it’s not all the Canadian pundits, but the ones who hate on the celebrations are the ones who are the loudest about it.

Cue Brian Burke on Hockey Night in Canada

Here’s the take on @hockeynight Brian Burke is anti-fun. That’s unfortunate. @NHLCanes pic.twitter.com/9DQgU93IDL

— Mike Solarte (@MikeSolarte) October 28, 2018

Now, listen– I don’t expect the older generation of hockey people to understand what this generation does– but to be worried about it catching on for some reason is beyond me. Burke is that hard-line old school guy who still believes the old rules are the best. That’s on him to change…but I doubt he won’t for his own persona.

If Burke has brought up the point for potential injury, which when you look at all those camera cords on the ice and guys sliding wrong/slamming into the glass wrong to mess up their body– it’s a miracle they hadn’t done that already. But if Burke brought up that point…maybe there’s a bit of merit to it. We’ve seen placekickers celebrate an extra-point and really tear up their knee.

All this really does for Burke is when Don Cherry doesn’t get renewed or goes away– Brian Burke will be the guy to make Ron MacLean go nuts.

That all said, for a market who has a solid amount of hardcore fans– the biggest issues is getting the casual fan. In an area that is now starting to get consumed in the end of NCAA football and the start of NCAA basketball, they need to do something to get some headlines and separate themselves from the rest of the crowd.

You could drone on about Sebastian Aho starting the season on a huge hot streak and breaking team records or how “outcast” Dougie Hamilton really finding his way with this team or how this team still has a lot of room to grow considering Victor Rask is out and Andrei Svechnikov is still getting accustomed to the NHL game. Those are things that are all well and good.

But for the casual fans looking for new entertainment, there’s nothing better than getting something viral or fun to catch their attention and make them spend their dollars with the Hurricanes. That’s why having fun is crucial on the business side of things. The playing side of things will come and if these guys keep having fun, wins will come because winning is fun. As much as they are a division rival to my Capitals, a team like this could become endearing to many, even the most bitter of rival team.